Statement

Shirley Burnham's statement at the Camapign AGM on 11 July 2009

A year ago I was simply a friend and member of our much-loved community library and had not heard of the array of government departments, quangos, statutory advisory bodies and professional associations which seem to compete to preside over a declining public library service.

The decision of senior officers to recommend to Swindon Council that up to nine community libraries could be closed or staffed by volunteers has now thrust me into a world of quangocrats, bureaucrats, politicians of all three major parties, local government officials, the Ombudsman and the all-powerful Secretary of State – each of whom might appear in ‘Old Town Library The Musical’, if Andrew Lloyd-Webber were to write one.

I have had to learn my MLAs from my ACL, DCMS, LGA, SCL and CILIPs. Along the way, I have discovered that some thirty reports have been written about the problems of the public library service in the past ten years and that millions of pounds have been spent on consultants, seminars and conferences.

All this seems very distant from Old Town library, in Swindon.

Residents have a very simple request: to retain their much-loved branch library and its highly esteemed, part-time library assistants. They are not nobodies who can be replaced by volunteers. They are skilled, experienced and dedicated staff. We are told that closing our library or de-staffing it would save only £23,000 per annum. Four library closures are currently proposed – to save less than £100,000 ! Is this downgrading of the service to our communities in the spirit of the 1964 Act? Is it an example of ‘best practice’? Very recently the Leader of CILIP Council has, in her Blog, called for a plenary meeting in Swindon – but CILIP’s much welcomed and timely intervention has to date been totally ignored.

We have had considerable support from our local MP, national campaigners and both the national and local media. Highly respected commentators such as Joan Bakewell, Rachel Cooke and Alan Gibbons have taken up their pens on our behalf. We have submitted a 1,335 name petition, written to the Culture Secretary, held a public meeting addressed by Council officers and an independent consultant and have raised our concerns with ministers, including the Prime Minister at Downing Street.

But we have still not managed to save our library.

In May, our Council’s Lead Member responsible for libraries was removed from his position on the cabinet – yet the Council’s position appears to be as entrenched and defensive as ever, in spite of the election of a new Lead Member.

The Council’s cabinet, the MLA and local officers continue to ignore the budget issues which led to the recommendation to close Old Town and other libraries, despite the publication of an independent consultant’s report that identified other ways to make the required savings. We are aware that Swindon charges its library service the highest central overhead charge of any unitary authority in the country.

DCMS set up an inquiry into whether the MLA acted improperly by submitting a confidential critique of the independent consultant’s report requested by Members of Council. That inquiry has yet to report …

There has been a Taxpayers’ Alliance FoI Request to the MLA concerning its dealings with Swindon. The TPA has complained that it has not received all the data requested.

We are also waiting for the Ombudsman to investigate a complaint that the decision taken in February to close four branch libraries was not based on a properly drawn up plan that was published and discussed and subject to consultation with residents affected by it. I put it to you that, as the MLA has recently – in the absence of any such proper plan — found it necessary to commission consultants to review Swindon’s library service, the complaint is substantiated.

The residents of Old Town, waving but not drowning in this alphabet soup, will continue to fight to save their library and for it to be improved to the benefit of everyone in our community. We are also determined that our top-notch library staff should remain in place. Here is our message to all those in positions of influence :

“We don’t want more meaningless words, more hot air and yet more reports. We want you to start earning your salaries, allowances and fees; to focus on residents’ needs and finding a way to save Swindon’s community libraries, with their part-time staff. You know that it is not difficult to find a way. You just have to have the will and the residents will cheer you when you make it happen.”

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